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1 | ©John R. Wible, 2015. However, no claim is made to originality of content except where noted [brackets] or otherwise obvious from the context. Murray, With Christ in the School of Prayer [1] Final Summary John R. Wible, Editor Lesson 1. “Lord, teach us to Pray” or “The Only Teacher.” If we want to be His disciples, we must ask “Lord, teach us to pray.” Prayer is such that a child can do it, yes it is the highest and holiest thing we can do. But, it is a mistake to simply “rest in the form.” It seems easy but later it becomes more difficult. The more we learn that we need to pray, the more we learn that we need also for the Spirit to teach us more and more. Our true prayer will reveal our struggles with doubt and fear. The primary goal is the relationship with God. Jesus entrusted to us the work of the Kingdom. It can only be accomplished in prayer. The Holy Spirit living in us teaches us to Pray. There is no other way. He first shows us our sin. We first deal with the sin issue in our lives. Then expand out. Jesus never taught the disciples how to preach, but how to pray. Three “rules” for prayer: Keep it secret, uninflated and keep it up. Prayer does not come from us, it flows from through the Spirit to and through us. “Spiritual arrogance” - trying to figure God out, an impossibility, is a sinful waste of time What we ask must be to the Glory of God: Surrender to Gods will, have full assurance of faith, ask in the name of Jesus, and have perseverance. Lesson 2. In Spirit and in Truth Three kinds of people who pray: Ignorant, knowledgeable, and in spirit and in truth. Spiritual Worship does not mean merely worship in earnestness. Three principles: o There must be harmony between God and his worshipers. o Spiritual worship is only by the gift of God. o We worship in truth, earnestly, in accord with God's Word, & through Jesus’ name as He lives in us. Lesson 3. Secret Prayer. Direct, priestly prayer to the “Father” is Jesus’ NT concept not known in the OT. We should have a “secret place” where he can meet God alone. “Place” is mindset. It is because Jesus came and sent the Holy Spirit that we now have direct access.
Transcript

1 | © J o h n R . W i b l e , 2 0 1 5 . H o w e v e r , n o c l a i m i s m a d e t o

o r i g i n a l i t y o f c o n t e n t e x c e p t w h e r e n o t e d [ b r a c k e t s ] o r o t h e r w i s e o b v i o u s f r o m t h e c o n t e x t .

Murray, With Christ in the School of Prayer [1] Final Summary

John R. Wible, Editor

Lesson 1. “Lord, teach us to Pray” or “The Only Teacher.”

If we want to be His disciples, we must ask “Lord, teach us to pray.”

Prayer is such that a child can do it, yes it is the highest and holiest thing we can do. But, it is a mistake to simply “rest in the form.”

It seems easy but later it becomes more difficult. The more we learn that we need to pray, the more we learn that we need also for the Spirit to teach us more and more.

Our true prayer will reveal our struggles with doubt and fear.

The primary goal is the relationship with God. Jesus entrusted to us the work of the Kingdom. It can only be accomplished in prayer.

The Holy Spirit living in us teaches us to Pray. There is no other way. He first shows us our sin. We first deal with the sin issue in our lives. Then expand out.

Jesus never taught the disciples how to preach, but how to pray. Three “rules” for prayer: Keep it secret, uninflated and keep it up.

Prayer does not come from us, it flows from through the Spirit to and through us. “Spiritual arrogance” - trying to figure God out, an impossibility, is a sinful waste of time

What we ask must be to the Glory of God: Surrender to Gods will, have full assurance of faith, ask in the name of Jesus, and have perseverance.

Lesson 2. In Spirit and in Truth

Three kinds of people who pray: Ignorant, knowledgeable, and in spirit and in truth. Spiritual Worship does not mean merely worship in earnestness. Three principles:

o There must be harmony between God and his worshipers. o Spiritual worship is only by the gift of God.

o We worship in truth, earnestly, in accord with God's Word, & through Jesus’ name as He lives in us.

Lesson 3. Secret Prayer.

Direct, priestly prayer to the “Father” is Jesus’ NT concept not known in the OT. We should have a “secret place” where he can meet God alone. “Place” is mindset.

It is because Jesus came and sent the Holy Spirit that we now have direct access.

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Lesson 4. The Lord’s Prayer

Jesus gives us a simple example, a template, not an incantation.

However, the words of this prayer are, in and of themselves, the key to prayer The central focus of the New Testament is Father.

“Hallowing God’s name is an affirmative act, not only refraining from cursing. Prayer is not about the “stuff” it is about the relationship.

In true worship, God must be glorified, forget ourselves and lose ourselves in God. There are two classifications of prayer: personal and intercessory. There is no growth in our prayer as long as we are stuck on praying for ourselves. We intercede because God is concerned about the needs of other people. To intercede, we engage in his work, his way, thus have a relationship with Him. We learn to submit to His will -“Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done.” Every child of the King has the goal to advance the kingdom. Believe an “inaugurated eschatology,” “the now and the not yet.” Pray in full confidence that God will supply our needs.

Forgive us our debts. Don’t allow this to be a formality. Only that truly confessed is truly forgiven. We cannot be forgiven when we do not have a forgiving spirit.

And lead us not into temptation. Protect our spirits. We can only come to God as a little child, trusting the father for everything.

Lesson 5 Ask, Seek, Knock

Christ assures us that prayer will be heard and answered. Ask, seek, knock are followed by "you shall receive, ye shall find, it shall be opened.” The assurance that prayers will be answered is second only to the relationship w/God.

This is conditioned on the “if.” Three levels of prayer: the receiving of that for which we have asked, the receiving of

the ability to reach the giver, and admission to the fellowship with the giver.

The process began by seeking a thing leads to fellowship with the giver of the thing. “Keep on . . .” Don’t be spiritually lazy and give up. If we do not receive, we have asked

“amiss.” It is easy to merely assume “no” and forget about the prayer. There may be cases where the ultimate answer to the prayer is “no.” The reason for the

answer of no is that the granting is not according to God's Word or according to His purpose. The outcome will be the far greater gift. Don't make it hard, just believe it.

When we pray, we must take time to listen and we will receive an answer to our prayer as well as will grow ourselves spiritually by God's divine grace.

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Lesson 6 The Infinite Fatherliness of God.

Just as the earthly relationship owes its being solely to the father, so it is with God.

We only expect the full benefit of the relationship when fully living in the relationship. If we are led by the Spirit in living, we will also will be led by the Spirit in his prayers.

What He requires is child-like surrender to live with the Father in obedience and truth. The secret of effectual prayer is to be filled with the love of the Father all the time

The lesson is not learning about prayer but learning to say, "Abba, Father." The key to all prayer is to gaze not at prayer, but at the Father.

Lesson 7. “How Much More?” or “The All-Comprehensive Gift.”

Not the stuff but the Holy Spirit is what (whom) we must first seek in our prayers. Only through His power we can enter into the presence of the Father.

“Seek ye first the kingdom of Heaven, and all these shall be added unto you.” God wants us to pray to Him for the filling of the Holy Spirit and for our needs.

We are not “bothering” Him when we do this, we are blessing Him. Through Christ, God has given us the standing to absolutely have an audience with Him.

We can’t rely on our feelings. Murray urges us to pray believing several things: By faith, what I ask is mine – the gift of

the Holy Spirit; o In thanksgiving, we know that we have been heard by God; and we have it. o The prayer turns into an experience with God which is the greater reward. o God wants to give us His Holy Spirit but most when we pray for others.

Lesson 8. The Boldness of God's Friends (Intercession.)

There is a twofold "use of prayer," one to obtain strength and blessing for ourselves The second is higher, intercession for others.

It is as God's friend, that He would have us approach Him on behalf of others. We must prove our friendship by “doing whatsoever I command."

The Spirit sifts through the true aim of our prayer. If we come truly saying that God will be glorified in His dispensing of blessing to others, we do not ask amiss and we will have.

The answer usually does not come at once. Because He loves us, He withholds to teach us faith. Faith is not instant gratification, it requires persistence and sacrifice.

God requires more than mere prayer. We must first show that we love the person.

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Lesson 9. Prayer Provides Laborers.

Murray says if we don’t pray for it, it won’t happen.

God delegated to us the eternal souls' disposition of men and women by our prayer. We don’t do this because we either we don’t believe it or don’t care enough.

However, when we care as a life-style, we will find a two-fold blessing: an increase in our desire that there be a supply of dedicated laborers, and our relationship with God.

We begin to become an intercessor first by praying for laborers. Recognize a specific and identified need. Pray specifically and earnestly for its filling.

"Beat the bushes" to find God’s person who will be the answer. As a result of our prayer, blessing has come that would not otherwise have come.

Lesson 10. Prayer Must Be Definite.

Prayer must not be vague and indefinite, it must be specific.

We must take time to be specific. Giving our prayer-time is the first test of our caring.

The time helps us to examine whether our request is according to God's Word and will. It also tests our faith. Do we really believe that we will receive the things we ask?

Praying generally as, "Forgive us all our sins," is not very valuable. The Lord’s Prayer was a template, not an incantation.

Our prayers should be limited to those things that we genuinely care about. If can' t find something to care about enough to pray specifically for it, we need to seriously examine whether we truly love men - and we don't truly love men, can we truly love God?

Start with our inner circle and work outward, following Jesus’ example. Be careful to distinguish wishes from wills. The will is a powerful thing, a wish is nothing. Are we willing enough to have it even if it is delayed? Be willing to sacrifice our will for His better will as Christ did in Gethsemane. When we have it, take hold of it in thankfulness and use it. Don’t waste God’s gift.

Lesson 11. Believe that You Have received or "The Faith that takes."

All things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you. This means exactly what it says. There are no equivocations. It is clear.

We err when we limit it. It is self-limited by “belief.” But it is not “name it and claim it.” However, keep on praying until it is fulfilled or realized.

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Lesson 12. Have Faith in God or The Secret of Believing Prayer.

How can I get the faith that Jesus speaks of? Faith precedes the promise.

Trust in the person, trust in His word. Don’t judge God by men prior actions. He will not fail, neither will His promises.

Get to trust God by spending time with Him in prayer and Bible study, conversationally. Observe how God answers prayers and shows His glory in our prayer and Bible study.

Taking God at His Word frees us to believe what He says no matter what reason says. The more we look at and listen to God through His Holy Spirit and His Word as guided by

the Holy Spirit, the more we will take what we see and hear at face value. As we learn to listen to God and read His Word conversationally, they will become less

mere informational and more a living Truth incarnate. Little faith informed by the increasing perception of the reality of God comes to the

same outcome as sight and hearing. Increased understanding of God and His ways gives us increased ability to see and

otherwise perceive reality as God does.

"The power of reception will depend entirely on the spiritual perception." Faith also allows us to yield to God. Then, His love, power and glory have control of our lives.

Learn to just let go of thought and trust Him. The cure for weak faith is to spend time with God merely for His own sake. "But seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven, and all these things will be added unto thee."

Lesson 13 Prayer and Fasting.

The disciples failed to cast out a demon because their faith was too small.

Faith needs prayer to grow and prayer needs faith to work. They are symbiotic. The "life of faith” is a life lived "in the Word" and in prayer. Only to the extent we live a life of faith will we have power in prayer. This includes learning to withdraw from earthly concerns (food) for total dedication. When we turn ourselves over to the Spirit's world, fasting from the things of this world

won't be a task, it will be the natural outflow of the Spirit's possession of us.

Lesson 14 Prayer and Love

There must be faith and belief for prayer to be effective. There must also be love. Faith and belief speak to relationship to God. Love speaks to relationship to God and man.

We can only bring an acceptable sacrifice when we are right with man – forgiveness. Divine forgiveness is contingent upon our human forgiveness. Our ability to pray reflects our love for people, our daily life reflects our prayer life. We "pray amiss" in approaching God to ask for forgiveness without giving forgiveness. If we don't affirmatively love our neighbor in deed, we commit a trespass against him.

It is it not enough to "love" God, we must love man. In word and deed. See James 2:14.

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Lesson 15. The Power of United Prayer

Our relationship to God is seen in or relationship to man. United prayer extends this.

Elements of “synergistic” (united) prayer: More than one, meet in Jesus' name, agree on the object, and pray in spirit and in truth. If so: "It shall be done for them of My Father,"

Paul expected that such prayer would take place and that God would answer. So many prayer meetings but so little prayer. United prayer today is too many times

standard, uniform, perfunctory, rote, unimaginative and pitifully weak. If we got together and started to pray, mighty and miraculous things would be done.

Lesson 16. The Power of Persevering Prayer.

We tend to give up on a prayer object by many pious words. This is spiritual laziness.

Cure: Keep on praying in "quiet patience" and joyful confidence. One reason for answer delay is that the blessing must "ripen." However, once the

conditions on our part have been fulfilled, it is done in Heaven. Only ripening remains.

We need time to ripen. God wants to give us the blessing, but more so, faith. We could consider the persistence of prayer as a time of learning in school.

Don’t pick the fruit before it is ripe. Don’t lose heart in doing good, in due time, reaping. The most valuable blessing is not the thing prayed for, but the time spent with God.

If an unjust judge will give what you ask, how much more will your Heavenly Father? While Murray stresses the certainty of the gift, Barclay says all our prayer and perhaps

especially persistent pray should end with Jesus' "nevertheless, not my will” be done. One of the divine mysteries is the contrast between the sudden and complete prayer

fulfillment and the slow, imperfect appropriation. “Persevering prayer appears to be in the school in which the soul is strengthened.”

Since the Holy Spirit operates differently in different people, some people’s faith is built up by the slow, persistent, and methodical operation while others are strengthened in their faith by a different method.

Nevertheless, all is within God’s sovereignty and His complete insight.

Lesson 17 Prayer in Harmony with God.

There is a difference between faith and knowledge, though both are gifts of the Spirit. Like a little child or a new Christian, there may be much faith but little knowledge. Child-

like faith accepts emotionally easily without need of reason. This is a good thing. Jesus said that those who would come to Him must do so with such child-like faith.

But, God desires that we worship in emotion and in reason. We can only grow in our faith and ability to worship using our mind and reason as we gain knowledge

Prayer is a perfect picture of the harmony of child-like faith and reasoned knowledge. The more we learn to work out with the Father answers to our questions, the more we

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learn Him, not so much about Him. An antinomy: The nature of God. God is completely

sovereign and cannot be influenced by anything. Yet, our prayer does seems have affect. Is it better put that prayer is the bending of our will to His?

The blessing isn’t the thing obtained. It is our becoming more like Him in the process? The Holy Trinity is necessary. If God were unitary, He could never know relationship.

The Father gave the Son the power to influence Him in prayer. Fulfillment would depend on the Son's asking and receiving. Thus, asking was in the very being and life of God.

Prayer on Earth is the reflection and outflow of this. Jesus' Earthly prayers were merely a continuation of this relationship with the Heavenly Father.

God's decrees are not made without reference to the Son, [either] His petition or a petition sent up through His Name as the representative of creation.

Jesus always has a voice in the Father's decisions. Room was always left for the liberty of the Son as Mediator and Intercessor.

If this seems at variance with the sovereign and unchanging nature of God, remember that "God doesn't leave a past as man does, to which He is irrevocably bound." Since

God is not bound by time, there is no disharmony between God's unchanging nature

and His ability to do what He wills as influenced by the Son's prayers and those who come in the Son's name. Another antinomy.

Thus, the prayers of God's people really do have an influence on God. Murray holds that God's will is unchanging yet it is influenced by our prayers in Jesus' Name and is not, in Murray's words, "an iron framework." Still another antinomy.

Perhaps, the points of this admittedly difficult theological exercise are as follows.

Prayer is only possible because God is a relational being made up of three parts. Because of this relationship found in Heaven since eternity past, asking for and

answering, and giving and receiving have always taken place. God purposed that the Heavenly relationship should be mirrored on Earth.

Since God, the Son has been given [but always had] access to God the Father to make requests, the will of God the Father is subject to the granting of those requests.

Since Jesus is our mediator and advocate, our prayers are listened to and affect God; nevertheless, God's will, like His nature, is unchanging. (Yet another antinomy.) Whether by the mechanism Murray proposes, or otherwise, faithful prayers offered in Jesus Name are not amiss and will be granted by the Father without change to Will or Nature.

Or, alternatively, prayer is never initiated by man but rather by God. Therefore, God answering prayer is not a change of mind.

There are the "prayer of faith" and the prayer [of presumption;] Faith will never be denied. Presumption will never be granted.

"For we do not know how to pray as we ought," but "the Holy Spirit himself intercedes

for us . . . but which are nevertheless there in the heart." True prayer, therefore, is never man talking to God, but God talking to God through man.

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Prayer is in Harmony with God’s will since it makes possible the joy of partnership.

Prayer enables us to touch God’s character and to focus God’s power on the object. Prayer does not affect God’s will but it affects His timing since He is timeless.

God always acts positively in prayer, but not always in the way or at the speed asked for.

Lesson 18. Prayer in Harmony with the Destiny of Man

Man was created in in the image of God. To make history was man's destiny. Sin disrupted man’s destiny, but God took that into account from eternity past.

The connection between God and man enables man to have an inner fitness to rule the world by being the mediator between not God and man but between God and Earth.

Although sin "frustrated" God's plan, prayer remains what it was always intended to be,

the vehicle for executing the making of history. Those who abide in Christ have the power to obtain and use the powers of Heaven.

Believers are commanded to fulfill the destiny of man by the exercise of prayer.

Lesson 19 Power for Praying and Working.

Jesus' teachings on prayer "grow" with the spiritual maturity of his disciples. Early on, He simply taught that whatever you ask in prayer, you will have. Later, He adds

the effective prayer for the mission God has been given. As the church is born, Jesus shows that no one can do the work without God, but with

God, "all things are possible." By going to the Father, Jesus is able to abide in each person and work through him. Ask it "in Jesus' Name" and it is done. The sole way to do God’s work is prayer.

The Church does not do the work, Jesus does. In the Church Age, prayer has a mature purpose, praying for the mission, though

personal prayer is not excluded. The more we work and pray for the work, the more faith we will be given.

The more faith is given, the more we realize our need for prayer until we pray without ceasing as a gift, not a duty.

Lesson 20 Prayer to Glorify the Father or the Chief End of Prayer

The prayer that succeeds "glorifies the Father," the only worthy prayer. Westminster Catechism: "Chief end of man: to glorify God & enjoy Him."

Prayer is an extension of this chief end - John MacArthur. "Glorify God:" to "reflect" God's glory that men might come back to Him.

On Earth, Jesus "glorified" God in Person as a man. In Heaven, as advocate for the Church, He continues this work in a different manner.

We know our prayer glorifies God when it harmonizes with His Word. Just as a team plays the way it practices, we pray the way we live.

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Too often, prayers don't glorify God, thus, they are "amiss" and ineffectual.

When this happens, you must refocus on God, the only true object of prayer. When we "pray right," we will "live right" and receive a new heart.

Lesson 21 Prayer – The All-Inclusive Condition

God's promises are always internally conditional.

God will answer prayer if we" abide in Him;" Many can't accept this and contradict scripture so we add conditions but its only internal condition is this "abiding."

Since we pray through Jesus, logically, "abiding" takes care of all conditions. We cannot "abide in Christ" on our own, God must enable us. The "Abiding" process: We believe. Exercising believing faith, matures to "taking hold of

Jesus’ faith; this matures into our "abiding faith." In "Abiding," we open ourselves to Christ and then let Him take control.

"Abiding" is a moment by moment activity; we must die daily to self. It's hard. Yet, "abiding in Christ" is the path to Sanctification.

Sanctification is hard; we must admit our inability & take constant food from God. We must focus on God, not on the outcome nor any part of the process.

Lesson 22 the Word and Prayer

The “Prayer wheel:” Before prayer, God's Word strengthens us, giving us assurance of our justification and position to ask. After prayer, God's Word informs us what we should pray. In prayer, God's Word reveals the answer to the prayer.

Prayer should be a dialogue. God listens to us only as we listen to Him.

Jesus adds to His earlier statement to the disciples: "You abide in me and I in you" becomes, "Abide in me and my Word abides in you."

In God's Words, He gives commands and guidance. Through our words, we fellowship. “Reverse Prayer Wheel:” "Doing" His Word is the test of "hearing" His Word. If we've

not heard God's word, we can't do God's Word; if we can't do His Word, we're not abiding; if we’re not abiding, there is no answer to prayer.

Knowing about God doesn't equal “knowing" God; it’s not as important what God said, as it is that God said it. That's the blessing.

Lesson 23 Obedience – The Path in Prayer

The promise to give us what we ask in prayer is made to those who "abide in Christ." Bearing fruit [not talking about bearing fruit] is the evidence of "abiding in Christ."

Total dedication to Christ is required to bear fruit. Our dedication to Christ is demonstrated in our love for Christ. We show our love for Christ by doing what He says.

We don't pray for a good thing to happen and then go do a thing, we ascertain God's will and then go do it in the faith that He will make our “doing” fruitful. Each day counts.

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Only as we do God's will, can we ask the great prayer of faith. Timing is everything.

Among the requirements for fruit-bearing are faith and obedience. Obedience is the mark of faith; God gives more faith and obedience as we show faith and obedience.

If our prayer life is ineffective, generally we are not doing as we should. If our prayer life is absent or a miserable failure, maybe this is an indication of a deeper problem. In

either case, the way back is to focus in prayer on God not on the fruit or the failures.

Lesson 24 Prayer – The All-Powerful Plea

Whatever we ask "in Jesus' Name" will be done by the Father. The limitations on this statement are not explicit but are "implicit." Jesus chose us to be possessors of this power. We didn't choose Him.

At ministry’s end, Jesus' command to pray "in His Name" adding trust and of faith. In taking another one's name, we take the other’s power and reputation as well.

[Jesus may have had Roman adoption in mind when He invites “His name” in prayer.] After Jesus' ascension, the only proper prayer is in His Name.

Merely saying or thinking we pray "in Jesus' Name" does not make it so. Having the power to pray in Jesus' name has the responsibility to use the power for God.

Lesson 25 the Holy Spirit and Prayer

As believers grow in stages physically; we grow spiritually, but not automatically. Jesus takes his disciples through three stages of prayer. Stage 1, the Sermon on the

Mount, is simply about trusting the Father for everything. Stage 2, the casting out of demons, adds earnestness and persistence understanding. Stage 3, the High Priestly

prayer, completes the stages, reveal all and tells how it will be. The "new" thing is the Church, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and a new spiritual

order where Christ works primarily through believers. Prayer is the connecting factor. Christ has the continuing occupation to pray for us; this requires us to do the same.

Lesson 26 Christ the Intercessor

Growth in the spiritual life requires clearer insight into what and who Jesus is to us. Learning this, living the Christian life ceases to be struggle becoming a “resting” in Him. The goal of the process is the growth in our relationship with Christ and the desire to

glorify God as informed by answered prayer.

Christ's intercessory role began in John 16 and the High Priestly Prayer of John 17. We believers likewise, begin a new role of sharing in Christ's divine intercession.

This is a role of joy in working together with Christ. The role of intercessory priest was foreshadowed in Melchizedek and Aaron.

Every sin forgiven and victory over Satan is because of Christ's "continued" intercession.

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o r i g i n a l i t y o f c o n t e n t e x c e p t w h e r e n o t e d [ b r a c k e t s ] o r o t h e r w i s e o b v i o u s f r o m t h e c o n t e x t .

Prayer takes place in the "timelessness" of the spiritual realm; there is a "continually

contemporaneous" nature to Christ's role as He and we pray in ever enlarging circles. In praying only or chiefly for ourselves, we hold back God's promises for us and others.

Lesson 27 Christ the High Priest

In John 16, Christ gives only to the disciples understanding of what the new life will be.

They are now to go into the field as martyrs and "joint intercessors" with Christ. In the Prayer, He teaches them how to intercede and asks God that they have joy in it.

The role, "joint intercessor" is humbling, exhausting, and intimidating on our own; thus Christ teaches how we can pray in His Name entering into spiritual union with Him.

Jesus prays in enlarging circles for himself, his disciples and then the world, as a model.

Like any "good" thing, we can only enter into "joint intercessorship" as He empowers us. The first step is learning the relationship among us, Christ, and the Father; this teaches

the primary goal of prayer - to glorify God. There are secondary benefits to us/others. Christ's prayers for us: that the Father keep set us apart and keep us from "the evil."

The Holy Spirit supplies our inabilities in the prayer we earnestly pray. Intercessorship is in both words (prayer) and action (encouraging & aiding the object.)

If we fail in either, we neither selfishly show Christ's love nor willingness to follow Him. Christ's prayer for the Church is for unity in all things. The enemy of love is separation;

the greatest thing is love.

Lesson 28 Christ, the Sacrifice [The Most Important Moment in History]

In the High Priestly prayer, Jesus was in the Holy of Holies presiding over the altar; In

Gethsemane, Christ becomes the sacrifice upon the Altar and [He didn't like it.] Death on the Cross and all His Passion was a follow-up to this moment in Gethsemane.

In Gethsemane for the first time, the Man, Jesus spiritually understood His earthly role. It is in this experience, Hebrews can say that He was tempted "like in all things as we.”

Likewise, he first questioned whether this was really the Father's will. To wonder and question is no sin; rather it glorifies God in depending on the response. Jesus' "Thy will" pays for & secures His right to pray the High Priestly (and all) prayers. To enter into true prayer (not pseudo-prayer) is to enter into timeless eternal union. If we abide in Christ, our prayer is answered; the Holy Spirit carries the "true" prayer to

the Father who grants it in "the fullness of time" answering in His time, way, and glory. The Father's silence to the "if" gives the Son the time to reformulate the proper

prayer; in the timelessness of eternal prayer, the Father does His work through the Holy Spirit.

12 | © J o h n R . W i b l e , 2 0 1 5 . H o w e v e r , n o c l a i m i s m a d e t o

o r i g i n a l i t y o f c o n t e n t e x c e p t w h e r e n o t e d [ b r a c k e t s ] o r o t h e r w i s e o b v i o u s f r o m t h e c o n t e x t .

Lesson 29 Our Boldness in Prayer

Hindrances to prayer: Doubt that we can know God's will; or laziness to await answer.

The remedy is to persevere in prayer. He will reveal His will. We will persevere only if we believe we will have an answer which may take time.

God's will is both patent, revealed in the Bible and latent, revealed by the Spirit. First step: Apply the Word and its general principles.

There can be no abiding in Christ if there is no abiding in His Word. Importantly, we must follow up every prayer by our actions. Deeds must follow words. Second, where the Word is silent, we have the duty to pray for the Spirit's revelation. We err in blaming God for not answering when we have not followed the process. Working with God in the process, not obtaining the object sought, is the prime blessing. Learning to discern the Spirit is a daily task. If we don't practice being in the Spirit daily,

we will not be able to "make the play" when the game of need comes.

Lesson 30 the Ministry of Intercession

We, like Christ, all called to be intercessory priests; privileged as "joint Intercessors."

The priesthood has three components: Work, Walk, and Way. Work: The true priest mediates between man and God. We are tasked do this in Christ.

Priesthood is a full-time job and requires full time devotion to God and to His people. Walk: The priest is called to be set apart and, though in, not of the unclean world. The mark of a true priest is one who lives only for God and his fellow man. Way: Priests enter the office by water baptism and are consecrated by Christ’s blood. The extent to which we allow consecration determines our fitness for the priesthood.

Lesson 31 the Life of Prayer

The parable of the persistent widow teaches persistence in a single thing; the Epistles

teach persistence in prayer as a lifestyle. If we seek to do this on our own, we will always fail.

For prayer to be effective, we must be “believingly” persistent in both aspects. Murray says: Sacrifice your life to God's Kingdom and glory; Start to believe that our

prayer is effective; Pray a lot and then work a little; and Pray without ceasing. Forget selfish pride and just say, "Lord, teach me to pray." Then be quiet.

[1] This is a summary of Murray’s work. No claim is made by the Editor to original work.


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